Liberty Entrepreneurship Camp in India

August 4, 2015

This report is posted by Venkatesh Geriti

This is VenkateshGeriti, Founder and C.E.O of India’s Future Foundation, a free market educational foundation who mission is to educate, train and connect young people who believe ideas of free markets, entrepreneurship and limited government.

I had great days during this summer with lot of libertarian programs such as Foundation for Economic education summer seminars, the independent institute’s challenge of liberty seminars, Acton University in USA, International Society for Individual Liberty World Conference on Market Liberalization in Bail and Liberty Entrepreneurship Camp by our organization. This is best and most productive libertarian summer in my life and I was happy to end it with our first Liberty Entrepreneurship Camp successfully in Vishakhapatnam, India from 8th July – 12th July 2015.

Liberty Entrepreneurship Camp is a five day workshop promoting the moral and ethical dimensions of entrepreneurship and educating young people about economic freedom, free markets and classical liberal ideas. The liberty camp was jointly organized by India’s Future foundation and the Language of Liberty Institute (USA) in Vizag, India from 8th to 12th July 2015 with 30 students. The main purpose of this program is to help young people explore alternative ideas for existing problems; to help young people understand the value of entrepreneurship, free markets and limited government.

Language of Liberty Institute speakers who had great experiences within economics, business, entrepreneurship and politics and introduced the principles of classical liberalism, free and competitive markets to participants. Local Indian speakers who are experts in ideas of free market in local context explained the need for free market ideas. The Camp combined lectures, discussions and workshops as speakers presented various topics such as the roots of classical liberalism.

The first day we started with an introduction of the liberty camp and the activities of Language of Liberty Institute and India’s Future Foundation. Andy Eyschen explained about why freedom is very important in every one’s life and how can you achieve freedom through entrepreneurship. On the second day of camp, Andy Eyschen and Glenn Cripe explained about history of classical liberal thought and liberal ideas in Europe and USA (1770-95). Jerry Johnson explained how liberal ideas are part of Indian culture & history. David Hutzelman organised an interactive session on why capitalism is good. We organized discussion groups on free markets ideas. On the third day, the speakers explained the principles of economics, and the history of free markets. We also screened “The Call of the Entrepreneurs”, a video by ACTON MEDIA and a follow-up discussion with students was led by Glenn Cripe.

We were more focused on Indian issues on the last days. Barun Mitra of Liberty Institute, Delhi and Chakravarty of Free Society, Hyderabad spoke about why India is poor, the importance of property rights. They also spoke about Austrian business cycle theory, and how free markets can save environment along with student’s discussions. We organized a few games which helped to make them aware about some free market ideas (games developed for I policy program by the Center for Civil Society Academy, India) along with a couple of management games. India’s Future Foundation local volunteers Mahesh and Srilekha presented business opportunities around Vizag. The fifth day ended with student presentations on their passion and business ideas.

India’s Future Foundation sponsored GauravThapa, executive board member for Students for Liberty South Asia, to participate in our camp and he presented SFL & activities, learning opportunities in SFL. Gaurav informed students about “Liberal Writing Competition” by Students for Liberty, Centre for Civil Society and FNST South Asia.